The Benefits of Sodium: Why Salt is Essential for Your Health
Sodium is often seen as a dietary villain, but it plays an essential role in maintaining various bodily functions. Without sodium, you would literally shrivel up and die. This blog post will explore the manifold benefits of sodium, from hydration to thyroid function, and even its impact on skin and hair health.
Electrolyte Balance and Hydration
Salt fosters a happy, healthy balance of electrolytes and hydration in your body. Salt can actually help you from becoming dehydrated, which can prevent dizziness, cramps, and fatigue. The same goes for your mouth. Have you ever tried rinsing your mouth with salt water? If not, here’s why it’s awesome.
Oral Health Benefits
Salt rinses are great for helping with gum disease, sore throats, infections, and mouth sores. Salt rinsing helps ease oral inflammation and improves overall oral health. It has been proven to be as effective as various oral rehydration solutions. Additionally, salt water helps to alkalize your mouth, balancing your pH levels, which further improves oral health. If you don’t want to buy mouthwash, just grab a half a teaspoon of salt and some water and start swishing. Learn more about oral health benefits here.
Thyroid Benefits
Check to see if you’re getting iodized table salt, which simply means you’re getting salt with iodine added. Iodine is essential for proper thyroid function. Sea salts or rock salts that don’t have iodine won’t be as helpful for your thyroid. The iodine added to salt helps regulate thyroid function and prevents goiter, which is a swelling of the thyroid gland. The only downside is that iodized salt can make pickled foods taste a bit metallic.
Blood Pressure Benefits
Many people think that salt is really bad for your blood pressure. While this is true for people who overindulge or are salt-sensitive, salt is essential for people with low blood pressure. Having the correct amount of salt helps to keep your blood pressure in a good place. If you have hypotension, then salt is definitely your friend. For more information, watch this video right here.
Cystic Fibrosis Benefits
People with cystic fibrosis lose more salt than normal, so it makes sense that they need enough salt. The amount varies between individuals, so consult your doctor about your specific needs. There have been cases where people with cystic fibrosis needed up to six grams of sodium per day, which means upwards of 10 grams of salt.
Digestion Benefits
Salt helps you make hydrochloric acid, which is intrinsic to digesting food and helps prevent bloating, gas, heartburn, and indigestion. Salt also helps you absorb more nutrients from your food. Moreover, it helps to create natural sodium bicarbonate, which regulates gut health and improves digestion.
Skin and Hair Health
Many skin and hair products promote salt’s benefits. Sea salt can detox and exfoliate your skin and provide nutrients that are beneficial for fighting signs of aging. Sea salt and rock salt have been proven to help reduce symptoms of eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne in many people. Rock salt can also help remove extra dirt and impurities from your hair while stopping dandruff, hard water damage, and hair fall.
Diabetes Benefits
Salt can help maintain the body’s ability to metabolize glucose and keep insulin levels more stable. It can also be beneficial for blood pressure levels in the right amount, thus helping in preventing type 2 diabetes. However, both the American Diabetes Association and Diabetes UK recommend limiting salt intake. You still need salt to stay healthy. Learn more about diabetes benefits here.
Other Unique Benefits
Salt can combat sunstroke, help with hyponatremia (water intoxication), and is great for chronic rhino sinusitis. Using it as a nasal irrigation can help with various sinus problems. Salt is even used in hospital IVs to treat dehydration, heart failure, and acute diarrhea.
Side Effects of Excessive Salt Intake
While salt is beneficial when consumed in proper amounts, having too much can cause water retention and make you more thirsty. Studies show that consuming more than four grams of salt per day increases the risk of various side effects, including heart disease, enlarged heart, heart failure, kidney disease, kidney stones, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, and strokes. Overdosing on salt is hard but possible; a 150-pound person would need to consume at least 35 to 70 grams of salt, which is two to four tablespoons.
If you want more details about how salt is good or bad for you, definitely watch this video next. Watch here.
